


Five Times Their Secret Was Safe and One Time It Wasn't

by CactusPot



Category: Total Drama (Cartoon)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Secret Relationship, Sierra is Obsessive and Zoey is Oblivious (but what else is new?), most of the All Stars cast is mentioned once or twice but they're not main characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28925628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CactusPot/pseuds/CactusPot
Summary: Zoey was clearly trying to catch Brick’s eye. Probably, Jo figured, to give him one of her ‘you should tell Jo how you feel’ looks.The thought alone made Jo’s lip quirk. Zoey’s cluelessness was downright hysterical. Ever since Revenge had finished airing over the winter, Zoey’d been trying to convince Brick to ask Jo out. It wasn’t as if they’d been dating since Finders Creepers aired or anything.~~~Hey, if all your closest friendships were formed in the scrutinous world of reality TV, you'd keep your new relationship quiet, too. Or you'd try to, at least. Competing on Total Drama All Stars doesn't help matters.Sequel to Maggot In Rat's Clothing
Kudos: 18





	1. I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you missed the summary, here's a second reminder: this fic is a continuation of Maggot In Rat's Clothing, which I posted over the summer. If you haven't read that story, here's all you need to know: Brick qualified for All Stars instead of Sam.

“Do you guys have any summer plans?” asked Zoey, who sat right across from Jo. “Once the season ends, I mean.”

Jo shrugged. Once she’d signed her new contract, she hadn’t put much thought into the rest of the summer. “I’ll probably set aside some of the million for a vacation. In the Maldives.”

“Why the Maldives?” That was Mike.

“First country that popped into my head.”

“I hear it’s very pretty this time of year,” Brick said.

They were all lined up in the interior of Chris’s junky chinook helicopter—Jo only knew the aircraft’s exact name because of Brick, who’d clapped with corny delight when it had arrived to transport them to Wawanakwa. The dork in question sat right beside her; Zoey and Mike sat across from them, and their old friends and new competition lined the rest of the cabin.

Keenly aware of the aforementioned company, Jo was forced to suppress her reflex to nudge him playfully. “What do you know about the Maldives? I couldn’t even find it on a map.”

Before the conversation could progress, Sierra wormed her way into the space between Zoey and Mike. “How’s my _favorite_ Revenge of the Island couple doing today?”

Jo stiffened. _Jeez, this girl is a freak_.

“So nice to meet you, Sierra!” Zoey offered her signature nice-girl smile. “D’you think we’ll be on the same team?”

“I sure hope so!” Sierra’s excited quivering had only intensified after they’d boarded. Jo had hoped she wouldn’t have to deal with Sierra until the competition actually started, but alas, Sierra couldn’t stay in her seat like everyone else.

Apparently, neither could the blue-bandanaed blonde who was making her way down the aisle. “Has anybody seen a bathroom?”

“This chinook isn’t equipped with a bathroom, ma’am,” Brick informed her.

Jo rolled her eyes. “Why didn’t you go before we left?”

A pout settled on Lindsay’s face. “I did! But I _need_ to fix my make-up before we get there, um… what’s your name?”

“This is Jo,” Brick cut in before she could give Lindsay a made-up pseudonym. _Well played_ , Jo thought. 

“And I’m Brick McArthur,” he added with a salute. “At your service.”

“ _Ooooh_ ,” Lindsay nodded blankly. “Have we met before?”

“Season four, episode six, Runaway Model,” Cameron said.

He was sitting beside Mike, but Jo hadn’t paid him any attention until this point. She wasn’t even sure how he’d qualified for an All Star season, seeing as he hadn’t made Revenge’s merge.

“Oh yeah. That was great, right?” Lindsay giggled. Her blue eyes sparkled as she continued, “Tyler and I watched the whole season and I was like, _so_ sure you two were gonna hook up.”

Sierra, who had until this point been pestering Zoey and Mike with pointless questions, jolted to attention like a shark that smelled blood. “I _knew_ I wasn’t the only one who saw that! You guys were so popular, I had to start _two_ Jock blogs!”

Great. There it was. Jo’s expression soured, and she had to restrain herself from not knocking Sierra out of the stupid chinook.

“Too bad for your lame-brained followers,” she snapped, “Brick and I are not dating.” She fixed Lindsay and Sierra with a glare guaranteed to ward off all interlopers who tried to pry into her personal life.

Brick’s poker face, on the other hand, needed a lot of improvement. “You make one alliance and people jump to conclusions,” he said with a way too-broad smile.

“OMG, my mistake.” Lindsay tilted her head. “I make a _lot_ of those. Like, a _lot_. I’m gonna keep looking for that bathroom?”

She moved on further down the cabin in search of the nonexistent bathroom. Sierra squinted suspiciously before slinking off to bother Scott and Lightning.

Jo ran her hand through her bangs. “Idiots,” was all she said before glancing up at Zoey and Mike. What had they made of that little scene? Mike appeared as oblivious as ever—no surprise there—but Zoey was clearly trying to catch Brick’s eye. Probably, Jo figured, to give him one of her ‘you should tell Jo how you feel’ looks. 

The thought alone made Jo’s lip quirk.

Brick noticed. “What’s so funny?”

 _Way to be inconspicuous_. “Nothing,” Jo said, even though Zoey’s cluelessness was downright hysterical. Ever since Revenge had finished airing over the winter, Zoey’d been trying to convince Brick to ask Jo out. It wasn’t as if they’d been dating since Finders Creepers aired or anything.

Red didn’t know, and neither did anyone else. And in a world of Sierras and super freaks, they were both totally fine with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been obsessed with writing a 5+1 story for a while, and I've finally decided on subject matter. Debated on posting this as a one-shot or as multiple parts; ultimately settled on the latter because it's what I, as a reader, would prefer.  
> The whole story is written, so I'll publish a chapter a day until Saturday.


	2. II

_Well, there goes my chances of being on Brick’s team_ , Jo thought after Chris announced the Heroes vs. Villains shtick. She was a jerk, through and through. Time to dominate on the Villains’ team while her boyfriend got chummy with the Heroes.

Chris listed off names. “Lindsay. Sierra. Zoey. Mike. Cameron. Brick. And Jo.” 

_Wait, what_?

“You guys will be known as the Heroic Hamsters!” Chris announced. “Scott. Lightning. Duncan. Courtney. Heather. And Gwen. You guys will be known as the Villainous Vultures.”

Jo must’ve been hallucinating or something. _In what world am I a hero_?

She wasn’t the only one confused.

“Why am I on the Villains’ team with _Duncan_ and _Gwen_?” Courtney seethed. 

“You acted plenty villainous during the second half of season two. All the annoying lawyer stuff, ‘member?” Chris wrinkled his nose.

“Why is Jo on the Heroes team?” Mike demanded. “She voted me off last season!”

“Gotta agree with Pointy on this one.” Jo folded her arms. For once, he spoke sense. “I’m no do-gooder.”

“True,” Chris drawled, “but ultimately her rivalry with Scott places her in the heroes category by default.”

Jo glared at Scott. He stuck his tongue out, and Jo turned her attention back to Chris.

“Okay, but then why is _Lightning_ a villain?” she raised an eyebrow. “He did even less villainous stuff than I did.” Muscle Mouth was too busy kissing his biceps to mastermind some brilliant scheme.

“...We needed to balance out the teams,” Chris admitted. His face darkened. “Now stop complaining about your arbitrary team placements and let’s get on with the challenge!”

One explanation later, the teams trekked through the forest, on their way to the 100-foot cliff. Jo and Brick brought up the rear of the Hamsters.

“I shouldn’t be on this team,” Jo muttered. “You guys are way too happy-go-lucky for my taste.”

“Would you rather be with Scott?” Brick jerked a thumb in the direction of the Vultures that walked behind them.

“At least the Villains have bigger targets on their team.” Jo’s lips curled in distaste. She wasn’t an idiot; she called it like it was, and sensitive saps like Mike or Cameron would be quick to crucify her for that. Logically, her pre-merge game would be much safer on the Villains.

“Well if it’s any consolation”—Brick’s voice softened so their teammates wouldn’t overhear—“at least we’re together.”

_Dork_. Jo rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Yeah. We’re gonna be a kick-butt team.”

“Second time’s a charm.” He looped an arm around her shoulder. Before she could stop herself, Jo smiled.

It lasted as long as it took for Lightning to jump in and scream “Sha-licious!” in her ear.

“Lightning!” Jo yelped, pulling away from both Brick’s embrace and Lightning’s exclamation.

“Y’all forming an alliance? Already?” His confident grin didn’t waver. “‘Cause Lightning wants in!”

“We’re not forming an alliance,” Jo said.

“Just having some friendly conversation,” Brick added.

To no one’s surprise, Lightning flexed his muscles. “Sha-please, Lightning knows an alliance when he sees one.”

Jo punched his shoulder. She needed him _out_ of her personal space and back with the other Vultures. “Talk to me after the merge, Mister Muscles. Right now you should focus on befriending Tin Man.” She stole an over-the-shoulder glance at the robot that Chris had placed on the Villains’ team. This season was weird.

After Lightning had retreated to bother his Villainous peers, Jo and Brick exchanged a look. She’d gotten really good at reading him, and the crease of his unibrow suggested maybe this was harder than he’d been expecting.

“We’re doomed.”

Jo sucked in a breath. “Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little extra context for anyone interested: I do actually have the entire plot of MIRC's All Stars written out. While I don't have the stamina to write another 20+ chapter story, I did want to post more content with those plotlines and character arcs. Thus, we have this fic. Also, more Jock content for the other five (5) people that ship them.


	3. III

“Toss it here!” Zoey stood on the platform, arms outstretched.

Jo, champion shot putter that she was, wound up her arm and hurled the ceramic torch right at Zoey. In one swift movement, Zoey caught the piece and connected it to the rest of the puzzle.

“And the Hamsters win!” Chris announced from his watchtower.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Jo pumped both fists in the air. Maybe there was something to this hero business after all.

The rest of her team cheered as well. “Spa hotel! Spa hotel!”

While Chef dragged Cameron away for exile duty, Jo and the other four Hamsters congregated for the walk back to the hotel. After high-fiving Zoey and Brick, she decided to heckle Mike.

“See?” Jo smirked at him. “My plan worked after all.”

“That wasn’t _your_ plan, that was a stroke of dumb luck.” Mike frowned. “If the Vultures hadn’t miscounted, we totally would’ve lost.”

“Guys!” Zoey butted in before Jo could obliterate Mike’s self-esteem. “The important thing is we _won_! We’re all safe tonight!”

She’d been trying to play peacemaker all day. Too bad her boyfriend was annoying as heck. “Of course we won. I’m a great leader.”

That was bound to ruffle Mike’s spiky hair.

Instead, Brick took a turn playing peacemaker. “The whole team worked well together.” His hand fell on Jo’s shoulder. “You had a great shot at the end, Jo.”

She beamed at the compliment, before directing a pointed look at the hand on her shoulder. “Hey, what happened to Operation Subterfuge?” He’d come up with the nickname the previous night. Always with the army references.

He snatched his hand away. “My mistake.”

“At ease, soldier,” Jo said.

Sierra, who’d been texting on her phone, hadn’t noticed the exchange, but Zoey and Mike looked lost.

“What’s Operation Subterfuge?” Zoey asked.

“Inside joke,” Jo said at the same time Brick said, “Classified.”

They looked at each other.

“Classified.” “Inside joke.”

“Riiiight.” An unamused Mike turned to his girlfriend. “D’you ever get the feeling they’re hiding something from us?”

The question was directed at Zoey, but Jo answered. “First of all, Stickbug, does Brick look like the type of person who knows how to lie? And second of all, who was it that tried to hide an entire disorder from his crush?”

“ _Jo_ ,” said Mike, Zoey, and Brick at the same time.

“Alright, whatever. I’ll drop it.” She huffed and rolled her eyes. Just her luck that her friends couldn’t take any punches.

Fortunately, Zoey and Mike were engrossed in each other for the rest of the journey, which allowed Jo and Brick to have their own conversation.

“Wanna go on a run after we move our stuff to the hotel?”

“What about...?” Brick nodded at their teammates, and Jo filled in the rest of the sentence: _Operation Subterfuge_.

“It would be weirder if we _didn’t_ hang out,” Jo pointed out. As long as they did nothing that couldn’t be construed as strictly platonic, they’d be fine. This was foolproof.


	4. IV

Jo’s hands rested on the back of her head, and she tossed a lopsided grin at her boyfriend. “I think you almost caught up to me that time.”

Brick’s chest heaved—he hadn’t caught his breath yet—but he offered her a cheerful smile nevertheless. “Maybe tomorrow, ma’am.” They’d had the same exchange yesterday, and no doubt they’d have it again tomorrow, and the day after that.

He pulled open the doors of the Spa Hotel and stood back. “After you, Jo.”

She bumped his shoulder as she walked past, a nonverbal _thank you, you chivalrous dork_.

Somehow the dining hall looked even more regal in the morning light than it had last night. Sunlight streamed through the floor-length windows and glinted off the utensils already set at each seat.

But the best thing about the dining hall was that it was completely empty.

“Dang, you’d think more people would be up by now,” Jo remarked. She took a seat at the far left of the table.

“We’re usually up before the other Hamsters anyway,” Brick pointed out. “Plus, I’d assume they’re trying to take advantage of the high-quality bedding before we get kicked out.”

“Hey.” Jo jabbed her fork at him. “No negativity! We’re not getting kicked out, because we’re definitely gonna win today’s challenge.

“Also I know we’re trying to keep this quiet, but that’s a little extreme.” 

Brick had elected to sit a billion feet away at the opposite end of the table. He waved. “I can see you better this way.”

He was such a sap. She loved that. “Yeah, but now I have to yell so you can hear me.” To prove her point, Jo raised her voice.

“You like yelling.”

“...Yeah, you’re right.” She’d concede defeat. For now.

The butler guy arrived to take their orders. Brick requested an omelette with hash browns. Jo demanded a pile of steak.

“Again?” Brick’s brow rose when the butler returned with her food. She’d ordered the exact same thing at last night’s dinner.

“It’s good stuff!” Jo cut into it right away.

Their breakfast went undisturbed for the first five minutes or so. They talked about Heather’s elimination the previous night, how Cameron was faring on Boney Island, and predictions for future challenges.

Without warning, the doors flung open. They both yelped in surprise as Sierra burst into the room.

“ _Huh_?” Her gaze ping-ponged between Brick and Jo.

Brick coughed pointedly. “Good morning, Sierra.”

“Can we _help_ you, Purple Pigtails?” Jo stabbed the steak cube that had fallen off her fork.

“You guys are just… eating?”

“This _is_ the dining hall.” Jo waved her steak around. “It’s where people dine.”

Sierra pouted. “I’m trying to sniff out gossip for my blogs, but that’s kinda hard when you guys aren’t doing anything gossip-worthy.”

“Sucks.” Jo stuck the steak in her mouth. Yum.

“Are you going to eat with us, ma’am?”

Cue a sigh from their resident creeper. “I _guess_. Maybe when Zoey and Mike get here I’ll have something to report on. Hey…” Her eyes scrunched, which made her look distinctly rat-like. “Why aren’t you guys sitting closer together? Aren’t you friends?”

Jo shot Brick an _I told you so_ look.

“Uhhhhh” was all Brick had to say. _Wow_ did he suck at lying.

“Just came from a run,” Jo said to save face. “He was all sweaty and gross.” Brick pouted, but she smirked and kept going. “I, as a champion athlete, don’t break a sweat ever. So I made him sit over there.”

“Ooooooh.” Sierra nodded sagely. 

_What an idiot_.

Sierra sat down, and then Mike and Zoey arrived. The fun portion of the morning had officially ended.

Maybe if they woke up earlier tomorrow, they’d get more alone time.


	5. V

Somehow they’d gotten separated from the rest of the group. The only thing bothering Jo was the disgusting bacon fedora she’d been forced to wear. She couldn’t say the same for Brick, however. From the looks of his pale face, he was two seconds away from passing out.

“We’ve lost the platoon!” Brick wrung his own fedora so forcefully that bits of bacon flaked off. “We’re not gonna make it through the challenge!”

Jo pursed her lips. “Not with _that_ attitude.” She glanced around; the dark made it impossible to tell where Chris’s hidden cameras were. This guy needed a pep talk, but _obviously_ she was not going to give one if Psycho Host Guy was watching.

A bush rustled. Brick screamed.

 _Ugh. No time for privacy_. Jo grabbed his sweaty palms and dragged him behind the bush.

“Listen up, soldier!” She snatched his hat away from him and slapped it back on his head. “We have a mission to complete.”

“But the animals!” Brick cried. Jo was always astonished at how quickly Brick went from mildly freaked out to straight-up hysterical. “You saw what those rabbits did to Scott!”

Yeah, she’d seen Scott get taken down by a mob of tiny bunnies. And she’d laughed.

“Who cares if the animals went berserk? We’re stronger than them. _You’re_ stronger than them.” Jo scowled fiercely and poked him. “Do you want to go home and tell your parents you got scared of a _rabbit_? That’s just pathetic!”

Some people—cough _Zoey_ cough—would’ve scolded her for being too harsh. Good thing those specific people weren’t here, because Jo knew her boyfriend; he responded to these tactics.

Case in point, he’d stopped shaking. “You’re right, Jo.”

“ _Duh_. I’m not losing a second challenge in a row.” They’d booted Cameron yesterday, and while Jo didn’t particularly care about the twerp, she wasn’t keen on losing another member so soon.

“Also”—Jo hated the girly way her voice softened, but she couldn’t help it—“I’m not letting you get mauled out here.” She laced her fingers in his. _If Chris airs this, he’s a dead man_. “Never leave a man behind, right?”

“Affirmative.” He nodded, and she watched as determination replaced the terror on his face. “The mission isn’t over yet.”

“There’s my cadet.” Jo smiled. “Read to rejoin the fray?”

Before Brick could respond, a twig snapped. He yelped and pulled away from the hand-holding. Jo tensed and grabbed a stick, ready to swing at whatever terror lurked in the shadows.

The terror happened to own purple hair and a bacon fedora. “Hey guys!”

Jo dropped her stick. “Bad news, it’s just Stalker Chick.”

“What are you doing?” Sierra asked, and Jo took note of the phone in her hand. This must’ve been the ninetieth time in three days that she’d harassed them.

“We’re not doing anything,” Jo replied nonchalantly. She jerked a thumb in Brick’s direction. “This one here needs supervision so he doesn’t die of fright.”

“What she said.” Brick nodded.

“Is that _it_?” Sierra’s shoulders slumped. “What am I gonna tell my bloggers?”

If they lost tonight’s challenge, Jo had half a mind to vote off Sierra, regardless of whether or not she was the cause of the loss. The blogs and the stalking and the fangirling had gotten old _fast_.

“Tell them that I’m on a warpath,” Jo said. “And at the end is a million-dollar briefcase with my name on it.”

“Sierra, ma’am, where are Zoey and Duncan?” Brick asked.

“Duncan got lost. Zoey went off to look for him. And I went off to look for Zoey. But I found you guys instead!” She giggled. Always with the giggling.

 _This is fine_. So what if two of their teammates were missing and the third was too busy taking photos to be of any use? They could still win. She’d won under worse conditions.

“Here’s the plan,” Jo said. “The three of us are making a dash for the finish line. We can only hope that Red and Green do the same.”

“Roger that!” Brick saluted.

“And Phone Fanatic?” After grabbing Sierra’s attention, Jo fixed her with her meanest scowl. _No more Mr. Nice Jo_. “If I catch you creeping on us again, I’m dunking you straight into that stupid toilet? Capisce?”

Sierra backed away, clutching her phone protectively. “Got it!”

“Great.” Jo folded her arms. The sooner Sierra was out of the game, the sooner she could relax. “Now, let’s move out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you were curious, the elimination order so far is: Lindsay, Heather, Lightning, Cameron. Oh, and Duncan and Mike swapped teams.


	6. VI

The Fun Zone’s intercom crackled. “It’s now four to three, Villains!”

Jo grimaced. “Oh come _on_.”

“We’re not out yet,” Brick assured her. He stood on her shoulders, checking tree branches for nests.

“There’s only so many eggs in this stupid forest!” Jo grouched. “How do we know that they haven’t all hatched? Or exploded?”

Brick rummaged around in the tree. “We just have to persevere and hope for the best.”

Jo thought for a moment. “ _Or_ we could double back to the baskets and break all the Villains’ eggs. Chris never said we couldn’t, so I don’t think it counts as cheating.”

“Is that how you want to win?”

“I’d rather win on a technicality than risk either of us going home!” There were four people left on the Hamsters, and for the first time in history, Jo would be sad to see any of them get flushed.

When Brick didn’t respond right away, Jo tapped his calf impatiently. “Hello? Earth to Brick?”

“Just found a nest!” he announced.

“Yes!” Jo pumped a fist in the air, momentarily deplatforming Brick. He screamed, but she caught him before he or—most importantly—the eggs could hit the ground.

“Alright, let’s hit the road.”

Brick’s brow rose. “No apology?”

“No time for apologies, soldier.” Jo set him down and motioned for him to follow. “We have a challenge to win.” 

And then they were sprinting through the Fun Zone. The psychedelic foliage reminded Jo of last year’s foray into the enchanted franken-forest. Of course, if there was no time for apologies, there was no time for sappy reminiscing, either.

“Pick up the pace, cadet!” Jo yelled over her shoulder.

“Negative!” Brick pointed to the nest he cradled in his arms. “Gotta protect the eggs!”

She threw her hands up as she ran. “Your compassion is really infuriating sometimes!”

They were coming up on the entrance. Guarding the Villains’ basket was Alejandro, accompanied by Sierra. The newest Vulture hugged a disgusting mutant rat against her chest. Yards away, Zoey and Duncan protected the Heroes’ basket.

 _No wonder we haven’t found any eggs. Half our team is guarding the stupid basket_. She’d yell at them later. Out loud, Jo cried, “Heads up, nerds!”

“Aaaah!” Scott and Courtney rushed in out of nowhere. Jo did a double-take. Together they carried a nest containing about a bajillion eggs.

Oh great.

“Hurry!” Courtney yelled.

“Not on my watch!” Jo pivoted so she could intercept the Villains’ egg load.

“Get out of the _way_!” Scott hissed at her.

“And let you win? Fat chance.” The Heroes would be in that hotel tonight, she’d make sure of it.

Scott and Courtney skidded to a halt as they tried to figure out a way around Jo. Scott blanched suddenly and pointed over her shoulder. “Hey, Brick’s ‘bouta get it!”

“Wha—”

“Aaaah!”

Jo whirled around. Sierra’s naked rat baby gnawed on Brick’s face. He’d dropped the eggs and pranced around in terror, trying to shake the mutant.

“Go Chicken! Go Soup!” Sierra cheered.

That was it. Jo abandoned all rational thought and charged over. Her only mission was getting the rats off him. She wrapped her hands around the rat and pulled. The rodent screeched and only tightened its grip on Brick.

“Jo!” he cried.

Jo glared at the stupid mutant rat and tugged with all her might. “Get your _freakish_ claws _off_ my _boyfriend_!”

 _Wait a minute_.

Brick stopped yelling and stared at her with wide eyes. Even the rats shut up and stared at Jo.

She peeked over her shoulder. Zoey, Sierra, Alejandro, Courtney, Scott, and Duncan wore identical expressions: jaws dropped, eyes wide, eyebrows halfway up their forehead.

“Oh crud.”

Sierra spoke first. “I _knew_ it!”

“Call off your rats!” Jo seethed. Seizing them again, she finally succeeded in twisting the freak off Brick’s arm. 

Jo flung the rats to the ground.

“Chicken! Soup!” Sierra wailed, scooping them up.

 _I am going to die of embarrassment._ Everyone’s eyes were glued to them as Jo rubbed Brick’s scratched-up upper arm.

“You good?” she muttered. He nodded to the affirmative, so Jo looked up to meet the stares of her fellow campers. 

“Nothing to see here!” she barked.

“You guys are _dating_?” Zoey cried. “And you didn’t _tell_ me?”

“I hate to interrupt such a _shocking_ revelation, but Villains win, thanks to Courtney and Scott!” Chris’s gleeful face filled the monitor.

McLean’s monologue kept the attention off them for a little bit. Jo’d slapped a hand to her face, a pitiful attempt to hide how red it had become. Of all the ways it could have gone, it had to go _this_ way.

“Are _you_ okay?” Brick asked her while Chris prattled on about the invincibility statue.

Jo made a face. “You know Sierra’s just gonna get worse now, right?”

He nodded.

After Gwen and Mike found their way back to the main group, everyone boarded the boat to return to Wawanakwa. The ride was dead quiet, mainly because Jo shot death glares at anyone who opened their mouths. She hated it here.

As soon as they stepped on Wawanakwa sand, Chef carted Brick off to the medical tent. Jo came along, because _duh_. Zoey followed; apparently, she had some stuff to say.

Chef rummaged around the medical tent for gauze, band-aids, and other various supplies. Brick sat quietly on his cot. Jo stood beside him; she would’ve leaned against the wall if not for the fact the wall was a flimsy scrap of fabric. Instead, she stood alert and watched Zoey pace at the entrance of the tent.

“That was _so_ not cool!” Zoey cried at last. “You guys are, like, my best friends, and you didn’t say a _word_ to me!”

“Don’t take it personally, Red,” Jo said. “We didn’t tell anyone.”

“Except our parents,” Brick added helpfully.

“Right. Except them.”

“ _Why_?”

“Can’t a person just want to keep their personal relationships off the radar?” Jo glanced beyond Zoey out of the tent, just in case _certain parties_ were eavesdropping. “Everyday Sierra raves about our rabid internet fanbase. I’d like _some_ privacy, please.”

Zoey inhaled. Exhaled. “Okay, like, I _get_ that? I of _all people_ understand what it’s like to have your dating life be public information. Which is why you should _know_ I wouldn’t tell anyone!”

“You’d tell Skinny Arms immediately,” Jo deadpanned. “And excuse me if I don’t really trust the guy with this kinda junk.”

Zoey stiffened. “They don’t gossip like that,” she muttered.

Chef coughed pointedly. “Can’t y’all hush up? Let a medical professional work in peace.”

The self-proclaimed ‘medical professional’ was currently wrapping her boyfriend’s arm in a suspicious amount of gauze.

Jo stared stonily at Chef. “He’s gonna be alright, right?”

Chef grunted. It sounded like a ‘yes’ grunt.

Brick’s free hand found Jo’s and squeezed it. “Not to worry! I’ve taken worse at basic training. I can handle those rodents.” His expression was so earnest that Jo couldn’t help but smile back.

“Awwww.” Zoey herself seemed caught up in the moment. When Jo glanced up at her, she seemed to remember where she was; her frown returned. “Hey. I’m still mad you guys kept this from me.”

In Jo’s opinion, Zoey was being a big baby. She almost said as much when Brick piped up. “Zoey, ma’am, I sincerely apologize that our actions hurt your feelings. I can assure you that neither of us intended to do so.”

“Yeah,” Jo agreed. “Like I said: not personal.”

While Chef declared his work done and stomped off to complete some other odd-job, Zoey sighed.

“Well, I’m glad you guys are together, even if it took me forever to find out. I was totally rooting for you.”

“I know.” Brick nodded warmly.

Silence. Zoey looked like she was about to say something else, but honestly, Jo was getting tired of this conversation. She’d rather just hang out with Brick unbothered. 

“Now that that’s settled, why don’t you go find Spiky?” Jo suggested, nudging Zoey towards the entrance. “I bet he’s missing you after being stuck with those wack-o Villains all day.”

“Now that you mention it, Mike—”

Jo patted Zoey’s back. “Sounds great. Talk to you at dinner!”

After Zoey finally got the hint and started off on the path back to camp, Jo settled herself on the cot opposite Brick’s. “Scale of one to ten, how bad do you think that went overall?”

Brick considered it a moment. “I’d rank it a six.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something about the medical tent makes Jo get into arguments with her friends lol


End file.
